Kirk Key Interlock News - www.KirkKey.com

Massillon, Ohio (May 22, 2013) – Kirk Key will present its comprehensive line of trapped key interlocks for coal-fired power plants at the 2013 APC/PCUG Roundtable & Expo in St. Louis.

Kirk Key’s bolt interlock HD Series and valve interlock Eagle Lock Series combine to provide a safe solution for coal-burning plant operators. The interlock systems ensure that a pre-determined sequence of operation is followed for shutdown and startup of equipment in the power plant. Each step in the sequence releases a key that allows operators to safely proceed to the next step.

Both the HD Series and the Eagle Lock Series are made entirely of 316 stainless steel and offer excellent performance standards in high-temperature or corrosive environments common in the power industry. The Eagle Lock Series fits all sizes of multi-turn and quarter turn valves and installation is integral to the valve body so as not to void the valve warranty.

The company will exhibit its interlocks at the APC/PCUG Expo July 8 and 9 at booths 51 and 52 at the Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel.

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Long-time engineer joins company as non-executive director 

Massillon, Ohio (April 11, 2013) – Kirk Key Interlock Co. has installed Frank Navratil, a longtime executive of the Eaton Corp., as a non-executive director of its board.

Navratil spent 33 years with Eaton Corp., first as a marketing and general manager and later as vice president of sales and marketing and vice president in the company’s Electrical Group. He retired from Eaton in 2007 and has consulted for Kirk Key since 2011. Navratil earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

“Frank’s extensive international experience – especially in the switchgear market – adds valuable insight as we look to expand Kirk Key’s presence in the Americas,” said Scott Life, president of Kirk Key.

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Kirk Key’s toughest lock protects itself from corrosion

Massillon, Ohio (March 8, 2013) – Kirk Key’s HD Series Type DM Access Interlock is designed to easily protect equipment and workers from costly errors during electrical and switchgear maintenance. The heavy-duty interlock ensures that steps cannot be skipped and a safe, pre-determined sequence of operation is followed.

The KIRK HD Series is made entirely of electro polished 316 stainless steel and offers excellent performance standards in high temperature or corrosive environments such as wash-down, coastal or harsh industrial environments. The HD interlock design offers a simple, powerful key and cylinder mechanism with no openings and very few moving parts. The shaft driven design aids in resisting dirt and debris and the gasketed key and dust cover further prevents debris from entering the interlock cylinder. The oversized two-piece key design cannot be duplicated and offers the flexibility of rekeying or servicing the key in the field.

The HD Series Type DM Access interlock consists of a main body and a latch bolt with twelve links of 316 stainless steel chain, so instead of a tight fit the operator can move the latch bolt around to mate it with the main body and get the trapped key to release. It is applicable for hinged doors, manhole covers, sliding door hatches or equipment that will not accommodate a precise fitting door lock or requires varying travel to latch.

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Massillon, Ohio (December 12, 2012) – Kirk Key Interlock has appointed two new employees to its management team.

Bill Trautmann, a veteran global sales and marketing executive, will manage and develop the Kirk sales team as Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Ed Dugas will provide customer sales support for 12 states as Northeastern Sales Engineer.

Ed Dugas

Trautmann most recently worked as president of Haclan Group, a sales and marketing consulting firm. His 17 years of experience in high voltage protection and motor industries includes various management roles at Ametek and the S&C Electric Company. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He will also join Kirk’s Board of Directors in his new role.

Dugas will work directly with customers to incorporate Kirk’s trapped key interlocks and related products, as well as manage the activity of Kirk’s sales representatives in the 12-state region. He’ll be based in Philadelphia and serve customers in states from Virginia to Maine. Dugas previously was Sales Manager for Power Magnetics, and he has managed sales and marketing for multiple manufacturing companies. Dugas earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Pittsburgh.

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Scott brings more than 20 years of industrial automation sales experience
Massillon, Ohio (September 5, 2012) – Trish Scott has joined Kirk Key Interlock as a Sales Engineer in the company’s Southeast region.

Scott, based in Jacksonville, Fla., will provide customer sales support for all of Kirk’s products in a nine-state area in the southeastern United States. She will work directly with customers to integrate Kirk’s trapped key interlocks and related products, as well as manage the activity of Kirk’s sales representatives in the region.

Trisha Scott

Scott, a certified safety engineer, most recently worked as an OEM business development specialist and sales executive at Schneider Electric, where she helped customers throughout Florida and Georgia. Scott also has experience as a service sales engineer at Siemens Energy & Automation and as an account executive at JEA in Jacksonville. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.

“With over 20 years of Switchgear sales experience, Trish has a proven record as a wonderful asset to customers,” said Scott Life, Kirk’s President. “Her extensive knowledge will benefit all of our customers.”

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Peter D’Alessandro appointed to head business development effort
Massillon, Ohio (June 1, 2012) – To meet the growing global demand for its safety systems, Kirk Key Interlock Company has appointed Peter D’Alessandro Business Development Manager to direct operations for the South American market.

Peter D’Alessandro, Business Development Manager, Kirk Key

A resident of São Paulo, Brazil for the past ten years, D’Alessandro is tasked with organizing a local support structure for customers, consultants and distributors throughout Brazil and South America. Through his considerable industry experience, Kirk Key will offer educational seminars and training for its complete line of keyed safety interlocks. The company is also growing its distributor network to increase brand awareness and local sales support in new markets. In addition, D’Alessandro will assist Kirk Key in its efforts to establish a local manufacturing facility to better support and serve this vast and growing new market.

D’Alessandro’s brings key experience to Kirk’s effort. Fluent in both Portuguese and Spanish, he has lived and worked in Brazil for 18 years. Most recently he was Managing Director for Emerson Network Power, Brazil (Sao Paulo, Brazil). Prior to that, he served as Managing Director, Latin America for Eaton Powerware (Sao Paulo, Brazil). A US Army and Vietnam veteran, he earned a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering from the US Military Academy at West Point (Highland Falls, N.Y.) and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and Science from Rice University (Houston, Texas).

“It is Kirk Key’s intention to nationalize our offering in this very important region as much as technical requirements will permit,” explained Kirk Key Vice President of Sales Sean McGuinness. “Today’s market requires a rapid response and quick delivery only possible through local operation.”

To learn more about Kirk Key, customers in South America may contact D’Alessandro at peter@kirkkey.com or + 55 11 9233 9488. Alternatively, visit www.kirkkey.com to access translated product and company information.

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Kirk’s interlocks pair with URC’s Quick-Trip™ system for increased safety
Massillon, Ohio (January 10, 2012) – Kirk Key Interlock Company and Utility Relay Company (URC) have developed a new product use recommendation to increase safety during power substation maintenance. By combining Kirk’s new Power Panel Switch (PPS) and door interlocks with URC’s Quick-Trip™ system, arc flash hazards can be reliably reduced when feeder breakers are racked in or out for maintenance. Kirk’s interlocks prevent access to feeder compartments until URC’s Quick-Trip system is enabled.

Kirk’s interlocks pair with URC’s Quick-Trip™ system for increased safety

Kirk’s PPS switch interlock and door interlocks are available in Standard Duty (SD), Medium Duty (MD) and Heavy Duty (HD) configurations. When integrated with the Quick-Trip, the PPS replaces a standard padlock, which does not provide isolation or ensure that the operator has properly activated the Quick-Trip.

Turning the Kirk PPS key activates the arc hazard system and releases the key. The released key is then used in the next sequence of safe operations, in this case, releasing the keys needed to unlock the feeder compartment doors, fitted with Kirk interlocks. Until the feeder compartments are locked and the keys returned, the first key, which is needed to turn off the Quick-Trip system, will not be released. The system ensures that feeder compartments are never accessed unless the Quick-Trips system is engaged.

URC’s Quick-Trip has been designed to shorten the trip time of an upstream breaker during maintenance. The system provides a safe, fast and reliable means of reducing arc flash incident energy (cal/cm2) levels and the heat energy from an arc blast, during maintenance period. With faster tripping times in event of a fault and the resulting lower incident energy levels, personnel can operate at a lower Risk Hazard Category with lower Personal Protective Equipment requirements according to NFPA 70E.

Together, the Kirk Key interlocking products and URC Quick-Trip system form a robust arc flash mitigation system offering a high level of personnel protection.

To learn more about protecting electrical workers from arc flash, visit www.utilityrelay.com or call 888-289-2864 and ask about upgrading the Quick-Trip with the Kirk interlock option. To learn more about integrating Kirk interlocks with the Quick-Trip, visit www.kirkkey.com, email sales@kirkkey.com, or call 330.833.8223. A representative from Kirk Key Interlock Company is available for onsite technical support for new Kirk Key interlock systems or evaluation of existing key interlock systems.

About URC
Utility Relay Company is a leading manufacturer of microcontroller based, true RMS solid state trip units for AC and DC power circuit breakers. URC trip units retrofit conversion kits replace aging electro-mechanical series overload trip devices, thermal magnetic overcurrent releases, and older style electronic trip devices. The company’s products provide greater accuracy, reliability, functionality and life extension of older circuit breakers at a fraction of the cost of a new circuit breaker, without changing out the switchgear.

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Key activated lock with multiple contact arrangements
Massillon, Ohio (October 31, 2011) – Kirk Key’s new Power Panel Switch (PPS) interlock provides reliable electrical isolation in a flexible design to fit a variety of equipment configurations. Ideal for switchgear, electrical distribution, and machine guarding applications, the PPS is available in all three of Kirk’s duty series, with six standard contact arrangements, as well as custom configurations.

Kirk Key’s SD, MD and HD Series PPS interlock for reliable electrical isolation.

Suitable for switch ratings of 20, 25, 40, 63, or 100 amps, the rotary style PPS promotes safe work flows by isolating electrical power or switching control circuitry. When the PPS key is turned and released, it can be used in the next sequence of operations such as gaining access to now isolated equipment through a hatch door.

The PPS is available in any of Kirk Key’s three interlock series: the Standard Duty (SD), Medium Duty (MD) and Heavy Duty (HD). The UL and CSA approved PPS is available in an IP65 polycarbonate enclosure. The MD and HD series will soon be available in an optional IP65 panel mounted version as well.

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